Safety



No. 6|2,545.' Patented Oct. l8, I898.

N. HISS.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FUR ELEVATORS.

(Application filed Dec.2, 1597. v I v (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 6|2,545. Patented Oct. I8, 1393.

mmss. .SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR ELEVATORS.

(Applicq-tion filed Dec. 8, 1897.) I

4 She.ets'-Sheet 2- (No Modql.)

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SAFET'Y APPLIANCE FOR ELEVATORS.

(Application filed. Dec. 2, 1897.) (No Model.)

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' No. 6l2,545. Patented Oct. I8, I898.

N. mss.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR ELEVATORS.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shaet 4.

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NITED NELSON HISS, on NEW YORK, N.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,545, dated October 18, 1898. Application filed December 2, 1897. Serial No. 660,561. No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, NELSON HISS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safety devices for elevators and hoisting ap paratus, and particularly to improvements in the means foroperating the safety-clutches.

It is essentially the object of the invention to put the clutches in the control of the attendant of the car and to overcome the serious failure which experience shows attends upon every safety appliance whose operation depends on the motion of the car-as, for example, on its speed. Repeated accidents in the last few years have shown that no purely automatic safety appliance is reliable, and injury and loss of life have followed upon their failure. This failure, among other causes, is particularly due to two-viz., first, that, as the appliances are only operated at long intervals, when an accident happens they are usually out of order when the time arrives when they ought to work, and then they wont work, and,second,that the speed which is sufficient to cause the safety appliances to operate is greatenough to cause injury to persons in the car.

My invention places the safety appliances in the control of any person in the car, so that when he has any reason to anticipate danger he can immediately bring the appliance into operation and stop the car before its speed has increased.

The invention also includes means controlled by the person in thecar for slowly and safely lowering the car to a landing after it has been stopped. The clutch devices are also so connected with the lever, hand-rope,

These clutches are operated by a suitable device, such as a solenoid or magnet, which device is electrically connected with the means for starting and stopping the car-as, for example, the starting and stopping lever-in such a manner that every time the attendant throws the lever to stop the car the safetyclutches are gripped on, and every time he throws the lever to start the car the safetyclutches are slacked off, the standards. In this manner the safety-clutches are operated with such frequency that they are kept in good condition, or if they get out of order the defect will be at once discovered. As the necessary combination of parts can be effected in various ways I show in the drawings and describe in the specification several constructions applicable to any elevator system.

Referring to the drawings which accompany the specification to aid the description, Figure 1 is a vertical section of an elevator-car and showing, diagrammatically, the safetyclutches and electric connections arranged for any motive power other than electricas, for example, a hydraulic motor. Fig. 2 is a view of the clutches from below. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of an elevator-car and showing, diagrammatically, the safetyclutches and electric connections arranged for an. electric elevator. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, on a large scale, of the preferred arrange ment of the safety-clutches, which arrangement is that indicated on Figs. 1 and Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. i and showing a removable hand-lever for slacking off the clutches in case of derangement of the electric circuits. Fig. 6 is a plan, partly sectioned, of a modification wherein two springs are used to throw on theclutches. Fig. 7 is a plan, partly sectioned,'of a modification wherein the spring which throws on theclutches is arranged between the electric magnets which slack off the clutches. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 9 a view from below of a modification with two springs for throwing on the clutches and two solenoids for slacking them off and the cores of the solenoids being so connectedby links as to mutually coact. In this figure isalso in dicated by dotted lines a removable hand-la ver for slacking off the clutches in case of derangement of the electric connections. Fig.

' the usual manner.

10 is a sectional plan view of the clutch equipped with two solenoids for. throwing on and two springs for slacking off the clutches. Fig. 11 is a sectional plan View of another modification, wherein two solenoids are arranged to throw on and two springs to slack off the clutches. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan view of a modification wherein two springs throw on and two solenoids slack off the clutches. Fig. 13 is a plan view of one of the clutches, corresponding to Fig. 9, slacked off the standard.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 4, A is an elevator-car, and B B the standards on which the safety-clutches grip. Said clutches, preferably two in number, are each composed of two parts pivoted at 3 to the frame 0 on the bottom of car Aand which are so shaped and arranged that the in motion of the arms 1 1, Fig. 4, slacks off the jaws 2 2, and the out motion of said arms throws on said jaws. The shoes 2 may be pivotally secured to said jaws 2 in Toggle-links 4 4 connect said arms 1 l with reciprocating rods 6, guided in said frame 0, the inner ends of the rods 6 being connected together by the toggle-links 8 8, which are pivoted at 9 to a transverse reciprocating rod 10, guided in a hole of said frame 0 and a socket-hole 12 of the pole-piece 13 of the electromagnet 14, which is carried on said frame. Said pole-piece 13 is shown in Fig. 4 as one with the frame 0; but it may be insulated therefrom in any usual manner. On said rod 10 threads an armature 1'6, 17 being a lock-nut and 19 a powerful spring to force rod 10 outward when the electromagnet 14 is not acting and throw on the clutches. To facilitate adjustment and taking up for wear, the aforesaid rods 6 6 are made in two parts, threading together, as shown. The force and throw of spring 19 can also be adjusted by the nut 20 and locknut 21. Said magnet 14, which is of any known construction and of power-sufficient to move the rod 10 against the spring 19, or the solenoid which may be used in place of said magnet, as is well understood in the art,) is in a circuit E F from any source of electric energy, the wires or cables of the circuit being insulated in the usual manner. Said circuit is closed or broken by the man in charge of the elevator-car by the aid of any suitable means of control, as the-lever 24, pivoted at 25 and normally held in the middle position, Fig. 1, wherein the circuit is broken by springs 26 26. Said lever 24 is an electric conductor. The handle being insulatedcarries contact 27 and vibrates between contacts 28 28, which are electrically connected with wire E. Thus when the attendant throws lever 24 to either side he closes the circuit and the electromagnet 14 slacks theclutches off the standards B. Said lever 24 is also connected in any usual manner with the motor of the elevator, so that when it is thrown to theone side or the other the motor causes the car to rise or descend, and the connections of said lever 24 or equivalent device with hydraulic valve or equivalent part of said motor are such as to shut off the valve or equivalent part of the 7 motor just before the clutches throw on and to slack off the clutches just before the motor starts. When, therefore, the lever is brought to the center, the elevator'm otor first stops, the car comes to rest, and immediately the electric current is out off magnet 14 and spring 19 throws the clutches on the stand ards, holding the elevator-car in the desired ,.'position until the attendant moves lever 24 again to one side or the other, thereby closing the circuit through magnet 14 and again slacking the clutches off the standards and then immediately starting. the elevator-motor to cause the car to ascend or descend.

In the circuit with the magnet 14 may be a rheostat 35, Fig. 1, so arranged as to pering below to let off passengers. By throwing switch 36 of the rheostat the proper distance from the neutral position of Fig. 1 he would 1 pass sufficient current through magnet 14 to ease off the clutches a little, so as to let the car slip safely down to the landing, where by restoring switch 36 to the neutral position he would again throw on the clutches and hold the car fast at the landing.

Should the electric connections be broken,

I spring 19 would of course throw the clutches on and stop the car. down to a landing in such case, a lever 38,

To let it slip safely provided with pivot-bosses 39, Fig. 5, is put through a hole in the bottom of the car and the clutches pried a little to just ease them off enough to let the car slip down to a land- 'ing.

In Fig. 6 the clutch device is shown equipped with one electromagnet 14-, provided with two pole-pieces 13 13*, arranged to attract the two armatures 16 of rods 10 10. rods 1-0 are each connected at the outer ends with the toggle-arms 4 of one-of the clutches. r When the magnet 14 is energized, both Said cores are operatively connected by links 43 f 43 and lever 44, pivoted at 45.

Said lever 44 is provided with a socket 47 for the insertion of a hand-lever (indicated by dotted lines) to ease off the clutches when desired. Springs 49 49 throw the clutches on when the current through the solenoids is interrupted. The

arrangement of the circuits, operating-lever, and rheostat is the same as shown in Fig. 1; The clutch arrangement shown in Fig. 10

is equipped with two solenoids 40 40, two

cores 41 41, and two springs 49 49. In this case when the solenoids are energized they throw the clutches on. When the circuit is broken, the springs 49 49 slack off the' clutches. i l

The arrangement shown in Fig. 11 is the same as that shown in Fig. 10, except that the clutches are now of the shear type, so that the closing of the arms closes the jaws 51. The effect of the whole is that when the solenoids are energized they throw the clutches on, and when the solenoids are dead the springs slack off the clutches. Of course the shear type of clutches can be used, if desired, with the electromagnets 14.

- The arrangement of Fig. 12 is equipped with two solenoids 40 40 two cores 41 41 two springs 49 49, and clutches of the shear type. In this case when the solenoids are energized they slack off the clutches. When the circuit is broken, the springs 49* 49 throw the clutches on.

Referring to Fig. 3, which is a diagrammatical representation of an electric elevator, M is any source of electric energy; N, an electric motor; P, the shaft of a hoisting apparatus; Q, the worm-wheel thereof, driven by worm p of said motorN; R, the strap-brake on the disk of shaft P, and S a solenoid or electromagnet with spring 8 for throwing brake R on when the car is stopping. The spring 5 throws on, and the energized solenoid or magnet S slacks ofi, the brake. T U are conductors from said source of electric energy M and adjacent to the car A, and V W are separate conductors, also adjacent to the car and ultimately leading into the motor N, o 10 being a shunt-circuit to the aforesaid solenoid or electromagnet S, and 00 y being an auxiliary circuit in which are the solenoid or magnet 14 and the rheostat 35 and capable of being put in connection with said conductors V W, as will be hereinafter described. The upper part of operating-lever is electrically connected with brush 62, which rubs along on conductor U and is provided with contacts 63 63. The lower part of said lever 60 is insulated from its said upper part, is equipped with contacts 64 65, and electrically connected with brush 67, which rubs along on conductor T. Contacts 71 are respectively electrically connected with brushes 73 74, which rub, respectively, on conductors V and W. Y Z are independent wires to rheostat 35 from a source of electric energy, as M. Solenoids or magnets 14 and S are so wound and adjusted that when the operation of the formerthrows on the clutches the operation of the latter shall throw on brake R just before the clutches moves lever 60 to one or the other side as he wishes to ascend or descend. Suppose he throws lever 60 to the right. Then the current flows from conductor T by brush 67, to contact 64, to contact 70, to brush 73, to "conductor V, through motor N and solenoid or magnet S, starting the motor in the desired direction (say for raising the car) and slacking off brake R, thence back by conductor W and brush 74,-to wire 00, to magnet 14, slacking 01f the clutches, thence .by wire y to contact 71, to contact 63 and lever 60, to brush 62, to conductor U, and back to thesource of energy. The clutches slack off in starting the car just before the motor N starts up. When lever 60 is again brought to the middle. position the various circuits are broken,the brake and clutches thrown on, and the car stopped. When lever 60 is thrown to the left, the motor will be driven in the opposite direction, the clutches and brake, however, being again slacked off. When switch 36 of rheostat 35 is in the middle position shown, the electric connection from wires Y Z to the magnet 14 is broken; but suppose that, owing to some accident, the car has been stopped between fioorsand the attendant wishes to lower it safely to a landing. He turns switch 36 the proper distance, and thus allows a suitable current to flow through magnet 14 to just ease off the clutches to'permit the car to descend slowly to the landing, where the attendant returns switch 36 to the middle position and the clutches hold the car fast. The circuit through lever 60 being broken, the current through therheostat cannot reach motor N, so that said motor will remain at rest. Of course instead ofthe conductors T U V W and the sliding brushes flexible cables can beled into the car and to various parts of the device in the manner well known in present practice.

Now, having described my improvements, I claim as my invention- 1. The combination insafetyappliancesfor elevators, of the car and motor therefor, means for starting and stoppingthe car operated by the careattendant, a standard parallel to the travel of the car, a safety-clutch carried by the car and adapted to grip on and slack off said standard as desired, and a device for operating said clutch electrically connected with the aforesaid means for starting and stopping the car,whereby said safetyclutch is operated whenever the car starts or stops, substantially as described.

2. The combination in safety appliances for elevators, of a safetyrclutch, electrically-operated devices for actuating the safetyszlutch controllable at the Will of a person, and auxiliary electrical means for operating the safetyclutch consisting of a controllable auxiliary circuit, substantially as described.

3. The combination in safety appliances-for elevators, of a safety-clutch, electrically-op erateddevices for actuating the safety-clutch i:

controllable at the will of a person, and'handoperated auxiliary means for slacking off said safety-clutch, substantially as described.

4. The combination in safety appliances for elevators, of a safety-clutch, electrically-op erated devices for actuating the safety-clutch controllable at the will of a person, auxiliary electrical means for operating the safetyclutch consisting of a controllable auxiliary circuit, and auxiliary mechanical hand-operated means for slacking off the safety-clutch in case of injury to the electrical circuits, substantially as described.

5. The combination in safety appliances for elevators of the car and its motor, means for starting and stopping said motor, a safetyclutch carried by the car, a device for operating said clutch electrically connected with the aforesaid means for starting and stopping the car, and a toggle connecting said device and safety-clutch, substantially as described.

6. The combination in safety appliances for elevators, of safety-clutches, an electromagnet or solenoid for actuating said safety clutches in one direction, an electric circuit controllable at the will of a person for energizing said magnet or solenoid, and aspring for actuating said safety-clutches in theopposite direction, substantially as described.

7. The combination in safety appliances for elevators, of safety-clutches, an electromagnet or solenoid for actuating said safetyclutches in one direction, an electric circuit controllable at the will of a person for energizing said magnets or solenoid, and an auX- iliary circuit controllable at the will of a person for in dependently slacking off said safetyclutches, substantially as described.

8. The combination in safety appliances for elevators, of safety-clutches, an electromagnet or solenoid for actuating said safetyclutches in one direction, an electric circuit i controllable at the will of aperson for enerlgizing said magnet or solenoid, a spring for Eactuating the safety-clutches in the opposite direction, and hand-controlled mechanical {means for slacking'off said safety-clutches,

substantially as described. 9. The combination in safety-appliances for zelevators, of safety-clutches, an electromagnet or solenoid for actuating said safetyg-clutches in one direction, an electric circuit controllable at the Will of a person for enerjgizin'g said magnet or solenoid, a spring for jactuating the safety-clutches in the opposite direction, an auxiliary circuit controllable at the will of a person for slacking off said safetyclutches, and auxiliary hand-controlled mechanical means for slacking off said safetyclutches in case of injury to the electric circuits, substantially as described. I 10. The combination in safety appliances @for elevators, of clutches, a spring for throwing said safety-clutches in one direction and an electrically-actuated device for throwing saidsafety-clutches in the opposite direction, and means for starting and stopping the elevator-car provided with an electric make and break, whereby the throwing of said means to stop the car throws onthe safetyclutches and the throwing of said device to start the car slacks off said safety-clutches, substantially as described.

11. The combination in safety appliances ,1 for hydraulic elevators, of safety-cl utches, an 'electrically-controlled device for operating said safety-clutches, and means for starting and stopping the elevator adapted. to make and break the circuit of said electrically-controlled device, whereby said safety-clutches .throw on When the hydraulic motor stops and slack off just before it starts, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in pres- "ence of two witnesses, this 19th day of No .vember, 1897.

NELSON HISS. Witnesses:

GRACE E. MCILWAI-NE, HENRY V. BROWN. 

